The holiday season is supposed to be a joyous time of year, but can be surprisingly difficult for people with special dietary needs. A long season of planned celebrations and get-togethers can mean a constant barrage of food choices and decisions, a potential health nightmare for those who are diet-restricted. The search for holiday recipes that are both delicious and safe can make every trip to the store a challenge.

ContentChecked Holdings, Inc. (OTC: CNCK), is a California based company that is tapping today’s advanced mobile technology in the service of a huge and growing market, specifically for individuals that have dietary requirements and preferences. It has done this by offering a growing family of mobile apps that allow the user to specify their unique dietary restrictions, and then quickly and easily monitor their consumer purchases by simply scanning the product’s barcode with the app to find out if the product suits their dietary needs.

• ContentChecked, the company’s initial app, helps users make better choices for their food allergy and intolerance needs by instantly telling them whether or not the product they scan is suitable based on their allergy settings. In addition, the app provides the user with positive alternatives.

• SugarChecked is an app that, upon scanning a product, gives the user an alert based on their personal dietary sugar/sweetener preferences. If the product is deemed undesirable for the user, it suggests suitable and related alternatives.

• MigraineChecked is an app for migraine sufferers who want to avoid eating foods that may trigger a migraine. By scanning the product’s barcode with the app, the user finds out if the product contains an ingredient, additive, or chemical compound that has shown to trigger migraines, highlighting the compound in the ingredient list.

• VeganChecked, a fourth app, is slated for release at the end of this year.

Obviously, every individual has their own particular needs and preferences, which makes the flexibility of these mobile apps especially important, but one of the company’s nutritionists, Tara Zamani, recently took the time to put together some general holiday recipe suggestions designed to leave you healthier, happier, and less bloated. See http://dtn.fm/L8it1 for some ways to enjoy all of the holidays without hurting your body in the process.

For additional information, visit www.ContentChecked.com.

Nutra Pharma Corp., a biotechnology company marketing Nyloxin® and Pet Pain-Away in the over-the-counter (OTC) pain management market, as well as developing treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) and pain, announced today that it has applied for an Orphan Drug designation from the U.S.-FDA for the Company’s RPI-78M drug candidate for the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG). In September 2015, Nutra Pharma was granted an Orphan Designation for this drug candidate for the treatment of pediatric MS.

“We have been clear over the last year that we would be moving our drug platforms forward,” stated Rik J Deitsch, chairman and CEO of Nutra Pharma. “This includes our work in pediatric multiple sclerosis, as well as additional potential Orphan Designations for our therapeutic pipeline. We expect to receive the Orphan Designation for MG. In the meantime, we will continue to work with our FDA consultants to prepare for an Investigative New Drug Application as we develop the clinical trial protocols for pediatric MS.”

For those unfamiliar with MG, it is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. The name “myasthenia gravis” literally means “grave muscle weakness.” MG is known for causing muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Certain muscles, such as those that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, talking and swallowing, are often, but not always, involved in the disorder. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected. RPI-78M is believed to be effective in the treatment of MG through the modulation of the immune system, preventing autoimmune effects.

By receiving Orphan Drug status, Nutra Pharma would benefit from a seven-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. upon approval of the drug, as well as tax credits for clinical research costs, the ability to apply for grant funding, clinical trial design assistance, assistance from the FDA in the drug development process, and the waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) filing fees, which could be in excess of $2.5 million. It also allows the company to move forward with its preparation of an Investigative New Drug Application and proposal of clinical trials. The FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation status to products that treat rare diseases, providing incentives to sponsors developing drugs or biologics. The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 is intended to assist and encourage companies to develop safe and effective therapies for the treatment of rare diseases and disorders, defined as those affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.

Originally derived from an extract of cobra venom, RPI-78M is an antagonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The drug has an unusually low toxicity with a very large therapeutic window. Scientific publications have shown that native and modified neurotoxins can protect nerve cells from early cell death. Also, RPI-78M may be beneficial in neuromuscular disorders where the activity of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has been compromised. The proprietary technology is covered by patents describing the application and use of RPI-78M in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

For additional information about Nutra Pharma, visit www.NutraPharma.com

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Risk is associated with every form of business, but it is especially important in the construction business. Millions and even billions of dollars are on the line with every project. Averting this risk as much as possible is paramount for a construction company to return profits on each project. The best way to increase the odds of success with a big construction job is to turn to a world-renowned company like Hill International, Inc. (NYSE: HIL).

Hill International is in the project management and construction claims business, meaning they are experts in budgeting; management of contractors, subcontractors and suppliers; estimating; inspection; expediting; and scheduling. Once your construction company lands a multi-million or multi-billion dollar project, the first call you make should be to the experts at Hill International. The company has many successful projects and accolades, including, most recently, being named the seventh largest construction management firm in the U.S. by Engineering News-Record.

The company has 4,800 professionals in 100 offices worldwide and also just announced a contract with Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company Morocco SARL for a coastal resort in Tangier, Morocco. This golf and beach resort encompasses nearly 600 acres and includes a hotel, resort, spa, apartments, beach and golf villas, clubhouse and 18-hole golf course.

Percentage points in this business determine whether your company goes under or moves on to greener pastures, so why risk doing this alone? Instead, put your faith in the company that has been around nearly 40 years and dominates its field. Would you rather have Joe Montana driving down the field to score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl or Dan Marino? Historical results say the winner of four championships should be your choice.

Reputation, experience and success are cornerstones of Hill International’s business model, which explains why they are on the speed dial of real estate moguls around the globe.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.hillintl.com.

Choosing a reliable bank is an important decision. People often consider interest rates, total assets, and terms on accounts (checking, savings, loan, retirement, etc.) when considering their banking options. Another very important factor in the decision process is the bank’s reputation and how long they have been in business. Sugar Creek Financial Corporation (OTC: SUGR) is the holding company for Tempo Bank, which has been in business since 1889 and is located in Trenton, Illinois. Sugar Creek Financial is a subsidiary of Sugar Creek Mutual Holding Company.

Tempo Bank is Trenton’s oldest independent, locally operated and managed financial institution. Its directors, officers and employees live, work and are involved in the community. This means that all decisions are made locally, not hundreds of miles or states away. The bonus is that its customers receive personalized service and quicker responses to questions or requests from people that they know. From its humble beginnings to the present, Tempo Bank still believes that personal service is the major ingredient of its success.

The company offers the following types of accounts to individuals: checking accounts; savings accounts; IRA’s (with terms from 18 months to 60 months); and Certificates of Deposits (with terms from six months to 60 months). Insurance is always very important, so the company offers deposit insurance up to $250,000.

Working with a locally owned bank also has its perks. The company offers a suite of loan vehicles along with competitive interest rates and great customer service. Loan products include the following: consumer and auto loans; mortgage loans; home equity and improvement; and special programs (first time homebuyer’s program; home buyer pre-qualification, counseling and education assistance program; and affordable housing grant assistance program).

The company also offers eBanking; online bill pay; phone banking; a Shazam ATM card; and MasterMoney debit cards.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.tempobank.com.

Alternet Systems, Inc. has a guiding vision. The Miami company imagines a world in which every person has access to economical, efficient banking and payment services and, in pursuit of this dream, invests in companies that are creating the future of money in the high-growth, emerging technology fields of digital commerce, multichannel payments and predictive analytics.

As the world has become more and more dependent on technological advances and conveniences, Alternet has expanded its search for tech-focused investment and partnership opportunities. From mobile payments, e-tickets and internet phone service to banking on a digital platform, the company has a record of finding and capitalizing on technologies of the future.

Led by a management team and board of directors with over a century’s worth of combined experience in the fields of investing, technology, and financing, and a fountain of knowledge on where to invest and when in start-up and early-stage companies, Alternet embarked on this path with a strong support system.

Since 2010, Alternet has sustained an ongoing focus on the high-growth, value-added service industries of mobile financial services and mobile security. Last year, the company extended its scope of expertise to include: investing in entities within the digital commerce environment; transforming the legacy electronic payments infrastructure; and developing advanced predictive data analytics applications for the mass consumer, telecommunications and financial industries.

Alternet is now at the cutting edge of the multi-billion dollar multichannel electronic payments, financial services and consumer analytics industries. With its strategic investments in these three key, high-growth markets, Alternet is accelerating the future of money and its role in the global demand for these services.

Alternet is providing innovative solutions that facilitate and expedite commerce, enrich its partners’ and customers’ experience, and improve efficiency in order to become the leading digital commerce, multichannel payments and predictive analytics solutions provider in global markets, and to provide its customers with the tools they need to prepare themselves for a new era of digital commerce and payments, financial services and consumer information, and, most importantly, a new era of how to live.

For more information, visit www.alternetsystems.com

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International Stem Cell Corp. is tackling some of the world’s most debilitating health maladies with a powerful new stem cell technology that employs parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis is a type of reproduction that takes place in the absence of fertilization. The company’s new stem cell technology holds the promise of advancing significantly the field of regenerative medicine by addressing the problem of immune-rejection. Stem cells are able to divide in a process of self-renewal in which one cell gives birth to two or more. They are also able to differentiate into cells of a different type so that a stem cell originating from one part of the body may differentiate into a type that is similar to the cells in another part of the body.

At the top of ISCO’s list is Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is characterized by noticeable tremors of the hands. But since it is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects motor functions, it also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation estimates that approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, a number that may not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected. About one million Americans live with the disease and an estimated seven to ten million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease. ISCO’s UniStemCell for Parkinson’s has completed the Food & Drug Administration (FDA)’s Investigational New Drug (IND) phase, which means it will soon begin to undergoing clinical trials. Clinical trials occur when the effects of new treatments on humans are studied.

ISCO’s development of neural stem cells for the treatment of ischemic strokes is also at an advanced stage. Pre-clinical trials have been completed, and the company is now embarking on the FDA’s IND phase. Ischemic strokes occur as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that, on average, one American dies from stroke every four minutes and that more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes.

ISCO is also developing treatments for spinal cord injury, metabolic liver diseases, retinal blindness and corneal blindness. These four treatments are all at the pre-clinical stage. Metabolic liver diseases, retinal blindness, corneal blindness and spinal cord injuries are ailments that affect hundreds of thousands. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham estimates that between 240,000 and 337,000 people in the United States are currently living with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and 12,500 new SCI cases occur every year.

So far ISCO has accepted no government subventions and has been able to generate income from its two subsidiaries to help fund its research. One subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care, Inc., develops, produces, and markets a line of anti-aging cosmetic skin care products. The other is Lifeline Cell Technology, LLC, which develops, manufactures, and sells human cell culture products along with optimized reagents for laboratory research purposes. For the many sufferers of Parkinson’s disease and other debilitating conditions, relief from ISCO is on the way.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com and www.lifelineskincare.com

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Freedom Leaf, Inc. is giving local experts in the emerging medical marijuana, cannabis and industrial hemp industries an opportunity to work under the Freedom Leaf banner. In an effort to increase its presence on the grass roots level, FRLF’s newly-announced program will offer the company’s current state ambassador licensees a chance to generate revenue by selling city licenses to suitable prospects and, subsequently, coordinating with these new city directors in order to work on growth prospects while leveraging the power of the Freedom Leaf brand. Boosted by the national reach of FRLF, local ambassadors are expected to earn income by hosting seminars, workshops and educational panels that will increase awareness of the burgeoning legal cannabis industry in locations across the country.

By increasing its grass roots presence, FRLF aims to expand readership of its successful print and online magazine. New local ambassadors will be expected to launch hyper local additions that can be added to the national magazine, supported by the sale of local advertising space. Local ambassadors will also have an opportunity to write articles as credentialed contributing journalists on people, politics and businesses in their respective areas, all while being backed by the staff journalists working with FRLF.

News of the company’s updated licensing strategy comes just weeks after the announcement of a new partnership with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) that named FRLF as the organization’s brand ambassador. Through this arrangement, the company agreed to promote and support donations, membership, business networking events, musical festivals, NORML merchandise and educational seminar components, as necessary to bring revenue to both NORML and FRLF. In line with this agreement, FRLF’s local ambassadors will sell branded merchandise from NORML in the future.

For individuals seeking entry into the medical marijuana, cannabis and industrial hemp space, FRLF’s expanded brand ambassador program offers an unparalleled opportunity to leverage the expertise of FRLF’s established brand and infrastructure. The company will offer expertise on mentoring, branding, conceptual development, websites, graphics, printing, accounting, financial business plans, legal, product development, public relations, social media and more, as necessary to improve the visibility and reach of its efforts to keep people informed on the latest marijuana-related information, innovations and legislation.

For more information, visit http://freedomleaf.com

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Many uncertainties exist in today’s economy. People have to be much smarter with their money and change spending habits in order to compensate for a lack of disposable income. Take golf carts for example. A consumer is much more likely to pay more for longer lasting batteries instead of buying the newest model golf cart every year. Add Oakridge Global Energy Solutions, Inc. (OTC: OGES) to the conversation.

Oakridge is a producer of lithium-based batteries for a multitude of residential, commercial, government, and medical applications that are made entirely in the US. Most batteries are produced in China and, while they’re cheap, they just don’t last very long. Oakridge makes high quality lithium-based batteries with significantly longer lifespans than the competition. Longer life in batteries means fewer trips to the store; increased reliability and performance when you really need it; more money in your pocket; and less tonnage dumped into landfills.

Alternative energy is the future, but it is unattainable, in a practical sense without a sustainable energy storage solution. You can have the most efficient solar panel or the highest power generating wind turbine, but unless you have a way to effectively store, harness, and access that energy, the point is moot.

The company uses two state-of-the-art production facilities in Florida to produce its batteries and has a perfect mix of science project winners and investment professionals needed to become a leader in the industry. Batteries are the food for our technologies, so the demand will always be there. What distinguishes Oakridge Global from the competition is that it is the only battery maker offering ‘Made in the USA’ solutions.

The company is largely held by a foreign investment group (90 percent of the outstanding common stock) made up of Australian, Japanese and European families, so that tells you this is not a quick profit type of investment. They are here for the long haul and constantly developing new products to stay ahead of the competition.

For more information, visit www.oakg.net

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TraderPower was established to empower investors with all the resources they need to make profitable trading decisions. Using the vast resources on the TraderPower website, the investment community can discover undervalued small-cap companies, learn how to properly analyze investment opportunities, and utilize free research tools for in-depth evaluation.

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Cleantech is a broad term used to describe a diverse range of products, services and processes that utilize renewable materials and energy sources in order to dramatically reduce the use of natural resources and minimize or eliminate harmful emissions and waste. Since coming into the spotlight around the turn of the century, investment in this vital technological sector has grown significantly. In 2007, the United Nations Environment Program reported that wind, solar and biofuel companies received roughly $148 billion in new funding as rising commodity prices and stiffening climate change policies encouraged investment in renewable energy. In a recent article, the Investing News Network placed a spotlight on the future of this pivotal market, particularly as world leaders inch closer to definitive cleantech commitments.

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP21, is currently underway. Running from November 30 to December 11, the conference is intended to create a roadmap for the meaningful advancement of cleantech in the next 12 months and beyond. COP21 is the culmination of a full year of talks and negotiations between participating countries, and the early results have been promising. Last year, developing countries raised $62 billion to address climate change, putting them on course to reach $100 billion per year by 2020. However, not all progress has been quite so fluid.

A major snag for the world’s largest economies has come in the form of a legally binding accord. While some countries – including Russia and Great Britain – are pushing hard for an accord to enforce strict carbon emissions goals, others – including the United States – refuse to endorse such an agreement. According to Chief U.S. negotiator Todd Stern, legally binding targets “would have many countries unable to participate.” For this reason, it will be imperative for cleantech investors to support national leaders by jumping in and backing the ongoing development of the cleantech industry. The Breakthrough Energy Coalition, led by some of the biggest names in government, business and entrepreneurship, is doing just that.

Launching at the same time as COP21, the Breakthrough Energy Coalition has a mission of creating reliable, affordable and carbon-neutral energy by “developing new tools to power the world.” Led by Bill Gates, the initiative is made up of 28 cleantech investors committed to driving noteworthy progress in the months to come. Among the group are Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN); Mark Zuckerburg, founder, chairman and CEO of Facebook (NASDAQ: FB); Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM); Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD); and Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA).

For cleantech investors, these two conferences could have a major impact on the performance of the sector in 2016. As big names continue to put their weight behind the industry, those in the space should feel confident moving forward. DreamTeamNetwork outlined its forecast for cleantech in an interview with the Investing News Network. While they anticipate sweeping policy changes at the national level, DreamTeamNetwork also pointed to growing demand for electric vehicles as an area of focus for the cleantech landscape in 2016.

“COP21 should give rise to sweeping new supranational incentivization for further sector growth,” DreamTeamNetwork noted. “Continued emphasis on renewables by China and India, as well as South Africa, the Middle East and Africa, will help to drive the conversation in a new and more open direction.”

To view the full article, visit http://investingnews.com/daily/tech-investing/cleantech-investing/cleantech-investors-2016-outlook